Idol began his music career in late 1976 as a guitarist in the punk rock band Chelsea. However, he soon left the group. With his former bandmate Tony James, Idol formed Generation X. With Idol as lead singer, the band achieved success in the United Kingdom and released three studio albums on Chrysalis Records, then disbanded. In 1981, Idol moved to New York City to pursue his solo career in collaboration with guitarist Steve Stevens. His debut studio album, Billy Idol (1982), was a commercial success. With music videos for singles "Dancing with Myself" and "White Wedding" Idol soon became a staple of then newly-established MTV.
Idol's second studio album, Rebel Yell (1983), was a major commercial success, featuring hit singles "Rebel Yell" and "Eyes Without a Face". The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of two million copies in the US. In 1986, he released Whiplash Smile. Having accumulated three UK top 10 singles ("Rebel Yell", "White Wedding" and "Mony Mony"), Idol released a 1988 greatest hits album titled Idol Songs: 11 of the Best; the album went platinum in the United Kingdom. Idol then released Charmed Life (1990) and the concept album Cyberpunk (1993).
Idol spent the second half of the 1990s focusing on his personal life out of the public eye. He made a musical comeback with the release of Devil's Playground (2005) and again with Kings & Queens of the Underground (2014).
World Comin' Down
Billy Idol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the teachers are fools
And you just want to break
Well you're close to the edge
And you're pissed at your work
And the boss is a jerk
And nothing is Nietzche
And I can't stand the church
I can have my opinion
And I don't want to win ya
Now I just have to work alright!
[Chorus]
I feel the whole world comin'
Down on me
I feel the whole world comin'
Down on me
Well the judge and the jury
They thought they could school me
And teach me the value of thrift
They put me inside on a one to five
And I just had to quit
Well early in the morning
When we are balling
I nearly had a fit
It came to my head
And I just had to say
Ain't gonna be nobody's bitch
[Chorus]
Comin' down
Down on me
It's comin' down
It's comin' down, down, down on me
There's only one thing
That I can do now
Go lie in the sun
I want to soak up the rays
And burn myself black
'Cause cancer day has come
And everything you do
To protect yourself
Well it ain't gonna happen right
You junky pimps
And Mother-fucking whores
Enjoy yourself tonight alright!
[Chorus]
Comin' down
Down on me
It's comin' down
It's comin' down, down, down on me
Comin' down
Down on me
It's comin' down
It's comin' down, down, down
I feel the whole world
Comin' down, comin' down on me
I feel the whole world
Comin' down, comin' down on me
I feel the whole world
Comin' down, comin' down on me
I feel the whole world
Comin' down!
Down on me
It's comin' down
It's comin' down, down, down on me
Billy Idol's song "World Comin' Down" highlights the struggles of modern living and the feeling of being suffocated by the weight of the world. The lyrics start with a focus on the educational system where the children feel disillusioned with their teachers and the teachers' lack of understanding of their frustrations. The lyrics then move onto the work environment where the individual is frustrated with their boss and fed up with false promises.
The song then moves onto a critique of organized religion and its place in modern society. Idol expresses his dissatisfaction with church doctrines and how it is failing to provide answers to the existential questions. The lyrics then segue to a more personal level with Idol asserting his independence and refusal to be shackled by societal norms.
The chorus expresses the feeling of being crushed by life's pressures and the sense of impending doom. The bridge then shifts gears to a more defiant tone as Idol rejects the attempts of the legal system to control and mold him. The song concludes with Idol's desire to find solace in the simple pleasures of life, even if they come with a certain degree of risk.
Overall, the song offers a commentary on the struggles of modern society and the pressures that people face. It critiques the institutions that are supposed to provide guidance and answers but have failed to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
For the kids in the schools
The young generation is attending schools
And the teachers are fools
The teachers are deemed foolish
And you just want to break
You desire to break free from the system
Well you're close to the edge
You are close to the limit of your tolerance
And you're pissed at your work
You are angry with your job
And the boss is a jerk
Your boss is unpleasant or difficult to work with
From promises to preacher
From commitment to religion
And nothing is Nietzche
And nothing is nihilistic
And I can't stand the church
And I dislike the church
I can have my opinion
I can have my own beliefs and thoughts
And I don't want to win ya
And I have no desire to impress you or gain your approval
Now I just have to work alright!
Now I must focus on my work
I feel the whole world comin' Down on me
I feel suffocated by the weight of the world
Well the judge and the jury
The legal system and those who uphold it
They thought they could school me
They believed they could teach and control me
And teach me the value of thrift
And teach me the importance of saving money
They put me inside on a one to five
They imprisoned me for a set period of time
And I just had to quit
And I had to leave that behind
Well early in the morning
At the break of dawn
When we are balling
When we are living carefree
I nearly had a fit
I almost had an emotional outburst
It came to my head
An idea formed in my mind
And I just had to say
And I had to speak up
Ain't gonna be nobody's bitch
I refuse to be controlled by anyone else
There's only one thing
There is only one option for me
That I can do now
That I can do at this point
Go lie in the sun
Sunbathe
I want to soak up the rays
I want to absorb the sun's energy
And burn myself black
And get a dark tan
'Cause cancer day has come
Even though it could lead to cancer
And everything you do
And no matter what actions you take
To protect yourself
To take precautions for your safety
Well it ain't gonna happen right
It may not work out the way you hope
You junky pimps
You drug dealers
And Mother-fucking whores
And prostitutes
Enjoy yourself tonight alright!
Have a good time tonight, okay?
I feel the whole world comin' Down on me
I feel suffocated by the weight of the world
Comin' down Down on me
Falling down onto me
It's comin' down
It's falling apart
It's comin' down, down, down on me
Everything's falling apart on me
Comin' down
Falling down
I feel the whole world
I feel suffocated by the weight of the world
Comin' down, comin' down on me
Falling down onto me
Down on me
Crushing me
It's comin' down
It's all falling apart
It's comin' down, down, down on me
Everything keeps going wrong for me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Billy Idol, Brian Tichy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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